Boycott That Crapper!

I love etiology.  

That's the study of words, for those who don't know so much about words. 

And I also love Lexicology.  That's the study of word origin.  Where our words came from.  Both together, so far as I'm concerned, mean learning from whence our words emminate, how they're spelled, what they mean, how they're used, for how long, and why.

My parents were both wordsmiths so I come by it naturally.  Mom was a schoolteacher and Dad was a well-educated supersalesman.  They also bribed me by paying me to learn 10 new words a week, along with their meaning and how to use them in a sentence.  In exchange for my allowance.  Our modern parents might want to consider doing the same.  I credit their decision for much of my resultant success.

This went on for years, to the tune of me basically learning Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, backwards and forwards.  I've been told by experts I have a vocabulary of about 250,000 words, while the average college graduate's is about 50,000.  It sure makes coming up with the right word at the right time in one of life's important moments a whole bunch easier.

In short, words are fun.  Those who play Wordle agree with me.  And I intend to risk boring you with some of them over the coming eons.  Presuming I still remain vertical.  Here's a couple to get us started:

There once was a guy named Sir Thomas Crapper.  He owned a plumbing company in London, England, back in the 1850's.  And he's generally credited with patenting and popularizing the flush toilet.  Which took off for the wealthy over there while we were still using outhouses.  And back in 1918, during World War One, when our boys where stationed in London, making friends and breaking things, they started calling this new device the "crapper," in honor of its inventor.

Never knew that, didja?

And then there's the story of William Boycott.  He was a surveyor and land agent for the King's local sheriff.  Back in 1650's Ireland.  Sorta' like Sheriff John was the king's evil enforcer was in the Robin Hood tales.  And the locals did not like his valuations, upon which their taxes were based.  So they began refusing to comply with his rulings.  Torches and pitchforks time.  Which then came to be known as, "boycotting," of course.

If you have a funny or strange word or phrase you'd like featured, send it along.  And watch this blog for new and exciting updates in the near future!